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Monthly Archives: March 2013

Spring is in the air at Mammoth Mountain and they’re making it easy to take advantage of warm weather skiing/riding with an interesting temperature based lodging offer. From April 14 – May 23rd, The higher the temperature, the bigger your discount.

How it works:
Stay for 2+ nights in select units at any of the Mammoth Lodging Collection properties from April 14-May 23, 2013 and receive a nightly discount equal to the high temperature for the previous day.

Yep, that’s right, stay with us for at least two nights and receive a discount on each night’s lodging equal to the previous day’s high temperature, so if it’s 45 degrees both days, receive a $90 refund on your lodging upon checkout. Daily high temperature is based on the high temperature at Main Lodge recorded on the ski patrol website.

2 night minimum stay required. Rooms/prices based on availability and are subject to change without notice. May not be combined with any other offer or promotion. No refunds for early departures. Other restrictions may apply. Taxes & $20 per night resort fee and gratuities are not included.

With 20 inches of new snow in the past week, Vail is a spring break skier’s dream. Add that fresh powder to late-season specials – including a 30-percent discount on April lodging at Antlers at Vail that brings its studio suite rate below $200 and a free Jimmy Cliff concert on closing day April 14.

2) Spring Back to Vail Celebration – the April 8-14 end-of-season bash in honor of Vail’s 50th features free live concerts including reggae legend and Grammy-winner Jimmy Cliff on April 14 at the Solaris Plaza in Vail Village.

3) 50th Anniversary Film Night – a look back at Vail’s 50 years in film from Roger Cotton Brown, who created the first ever Vail promotional film in the 60s. April 4 and 11 screenings are free with ticket available at Lionshead Vail Welcome Center from 9 a.m. on day of the show only. Film starts at 5:30 p.m.

4) Skiing Heritage Week – a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame induction ceremony April 13 is a highlight in a week that includes classic ski films and more. April 8 – 14. $350 for All-Access Pass.

With Neff’s Beach Bash coming up on this Saturday, Easter celebrations Sunday and The Launch all next week, there is still a lot to look forward to at Bear Mountain this season. The park is still stacked with fun features and the jump line, top jump, and Gambler are fun.

Their spring break special is still going on Monday through Friday. High School and College students can show their valid school ID and receive $20 off their lift ticket.

Now is our Screamin’ Deal season pass sale. This is the best time to buy all year (Even better then Hot Dawgz & Hand Rails) because the pass is good the rest of this season and all of next season. Plus you also receive one Tag-Along ticket to use this season! For more details click HERE.

Beginning March 29-31, 2013, the nation’s top moguls and aerials athletes will compete for the U.S. Freestyle National title at Heavenly’s freestyle arena located at the California Lodge base area, with the moguls competition commencing on Heavenly’s famous Gunbarrel run. The women’s and men’s aerials competition will be held at the base of World Cup run in California, adjacent to Gunbarrel.

The moguls of Gunbarrel have been home and training ground for several amateur and pro mogul skiers, including Chris Hernandez, Brooke Ballachey, Travis Woodcock, Christy Tibbetts and Travis Cabral, as well as current U.S. Ski Team Member Sho Kashima, and rising stars Ryan Hickey and Anna Park.

Event admission will be free and spectator seating will be available on a limited basis.

Celebrate Vail’s 50th anniversary during its April spring skiing finale. The fun ranges from a new Nordic twist on the venerable Taste of Vail through a tricky closing day event featuring “floatable athletes” launching from snow to icy pond.

1) Taste of Vail – the iconic spring food and wine festival turns 22 this year, showcasing the area’s finest chefs and nation’s top vintners. A new Nordic Wine Tour kicks off the Taste with cross-country ski/snowshoe wine and cheese stations on the Vail Golf Course. April 3 – 6. Event tickets start from $50.

2) Spring Back to Vail Celebration – a week-long end-of-season bash in honor of Vail’s 50th, featuring free live concerts including reggae legend and Grammy-winner Jimmy Cliff, performing April 14 at the Solaris Plaza in Vail Village. April 8 – 14.

3) 50th Anniversary Film Night – a look back at Vail’s 50 years in film from Roger Cotton Brown, who created the first ever promotional film about Vail in the early 60s. April 4 and 11. Show is free with ticket, available at Lionshead Vail Welcome Center from 9 a.m. on the day of the show only. Film starts at 5:30 p.m.

4) Skiing Heritage Week – a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame induction ceremony April 13 is a highlight in a week of events that also includes the Ishpeming International Film Festival of classic ski movies. April 8 – 14. $350 for the All-Access Pass.

Wednesday is the first day of spring, which means Spring-a-ma-jig is back at Mountain High in Wrightwood. Celebrate with three days of sun and fun with all your favorites including Pond Skimming, Frozen T-shirt contests, Tug-o-war, Big Ollie contest, and the Miss Mountain High Pageant.

This year they’re adding Retro day on March 29 so make sure you find some day glow or 80s threads. They’re also adding an all new “Spin to Win” Airbag contest. With Easter falling in March this year, the resort will also have a $5,000 Easter Egg Hunt.

Skiing into Revelation Bowl at Telluride. Photo by Brett Schreckengost

By Richard Irwin, Savvy Skier
“To hell you ride!” At least, that’s one popular explanation of how the town of Telluride got its name. But a skier or snowboarder riding the snowy slopes this winter will find them heavenly. (Apologies to our California resort.)
We returned to the Colorado ski resort last month for a winter vacation. And we discovered why it ranks among the best snowboarding destinations in the country.
Telluride averages more than 300 inches of snow every year, as well as 300 days of glorious sunshine. An important element for Los Angelinos who are used to seeing the golden rays every day.
And so it was on our February adventure. The mountain had received nearly two feet of new snow the weekend before, and we enjoyed sunny skies for the next four days.
The only weather bump we had was on our last morning, when high winds roared up the box canyon, nearly blowing us off the top of the mountain. So we stayed on the lower slopes, buffered by the towering peaks above.
Telluride is huge, it has more than 2,000 acres of skiable terrain. Galloping Goose, the longest run is more than 4 miles long, though there were a few flat spots that requires some poling.

We found the 125 perfectly groomed every morning, which is quite an accomplishment for a resort this big. This runs ranged from refined groomed runs to some challenging moguls.

I liked it because many of the trails were wide open boulevards that left plenty of room for everyone. No crowding and squeezing here like you might find at Bear Mountain or Mountain High.
In fact, during the second week of February, we often found ourselves skiing by ourselves. There were literally no other snowboarders within sight or sound.
Telluride has a lift capacity of more than 22,000 per hour. That includes two high-speed gondolas, seven high-speed quads, one fixed quad, two triples, two doubles, two surface lifts and a couple magic carpets.
We never stood in line for more than a few minutes. Most of the time we jumped right on the next available chair.
The popular resort has a nice variety of terrain. The breakdown is approximately a quarter beginner, a third intermediate and 40 percent advanced.
After warming up on the easy stuff, we advanced to the the bright blue runs. There’s so many trails that Telluride even breaks the runs down into double green for advanced beginners and double blue for the harder intermediate trails.
Of course, there were also the diamond runs for the advanced skier and the double diamond trails for the cliffs, chutes and cornices for experts only.
The ski resort has even installed a bridge and steel staircase between Gold Hill Chute 8 and 9 to provide better access to Palmyra Basin. Experts can test themselves on the Gold Hill Stairs, climbing to the tip top of the mountain and the extreme terrain in the Gold Hill Chutes.
The mountain sports a vertical drop of 4,425 feet, with a lift served vertical drop of 3,845 feet.
Snowboarders will find a great range of freestyle terrain parks on the mountain. Beginners will like Ute Park, which features a mini snow-cross, small jumps and ride-on boxes.

Skier hikes Gold Hill Stairs at Telluride. Photo by Ben Eng

Misty Maiden Park was designed for intermediate to high intermediate riders. It has medium jumps, rails and boxes. Advanced riders will like Hoot Brown Park with its large jumps, as well as a wide variety of rails and boxes.
Skiers come from around the world to ski at Telluride. One gentleman from Mexico brought his many children and grandchildren.
Der Sitzmark Ski Club from Pittsburgh was certainly having a grand time. The club has more than 300 members, who enjoy weeklong ski trips throughout the country including an upcoming one to Crested Butte.
“Telluride is one of our favorites, we always have some great skiing here,” said the club president and one of its founders.
So if you’re looking for a “helluva” good place to ski this winter give Telluride a look. “To hell you ride!”
richard.irwin@sgvn.com
626-544-0847